Exploring New Technologies

Pipeline protection using Optical Fibre

Distributed Fibre Optic Sensors for Pipeline
Protection :
• Non intrusive digital monitoring of pipeline

• This process integrates with distributed temperature sensing (DTS) and distributed
acoustic sensing (DAS)

• Allows the operator to act swiftly in the event of pipeline leakage or development
of any pipeline cracks

• The ability to interface with existing client data communication systems (DCS) and
supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems also provides automated
input from fibre optic monitoring systems
DTS (Distributed Temperature sensing) :
• Distributed temperature sensing technology locate leaks much more
accurately

• Sensor can detect leaks within 1-5m along the length of a pipeline

• Detection time can be within 10 seconds

• In addition to these benefits, the sensors are non-obtrusive and therefore

do not require shutting down plant operation during installation.
DTS Principle :

• Fibre optic distributed sensing takes advantage of the fact that the
reflection characteristics of laser light travelling down an optical fibre,
vary with temperature, strain, and vibration.
• The sensor consists of a length of standard telecommunications
optical fibre which is encased in a protective cable
• The measuring instrument uses a laser to fire pulses of light into the
sensing fibre
• A detector measures the reflections from the fibre as the pulse of
light travels down its length
• Measuring the change in power and colour of these reflections
against time allows the instrument to calculate temperature, strain or
vibration effects on the fibre cable at all positions along the fibre
Leak Detection
• Thermal signature of the product that is being carried in the pipeline
will be significantly different to the environment surrounding the
pipeline
• It is generally noted that the temperature of a fluid under pressure in
a confined space like a pipeline is nominally lower than the
temperature of the immediate environment
• Breach in pipeline will cause a release of fluid from the pipeline into
the atmosphere which is seen as a drop in temperature along the
sensing fibre
Temperature drops along the sensing fibre
Range:
• A single DTS unit is capable of measuring up to 30km of pipeline in a single
direction at a spatial resolution of 1m over the entire range
• The measurement time can be as frequent as 10 seconds and temperature
resolutions of 0.01 degree C can be achieved with this system
• The range can further be extended with the use of a multiplexer, allowing
a measurement range of 60km with a single DTS unit without
compromising the temperature resolution
• In a long distance pipeline, several DTS units can be located at distances
up to 60km apart along the pipeline, at flow stations or other such facility.
DAS (Distributed acoustic sensing) :
• Used for pipeline third party interference (TPI) monitoring

• DAS can detect events to a pipeline accurately to within 1-10m and

depending on the perceived threat, from a few meters up to 250m
away from the pipeline

• Devices used in these detection methods are fully automated and can
be easily integrated into standard data communications systems (DCS)
like SCADA.
Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technique
• If a disturbance occurs along the fibre in the ROW of pipeline, it
changes the backscattered light at that point

• This change can be detected at the receiver and from it the original
source signal can be reconstructed

• Provides very low noise levels, high dynamic range and excellent
discrimination between adjacent measuring points

• Up to 40km (25 miles) in length can be interrogated

Schematic showing forward propogating probing pulse and backward propagating backscattered signal
Principle :
• Once installed and commissioned the sensing fibre can detect ground
activity within the vicinity of the pipeline by detecting the seismic (vibration)
signals generated by that activity in the ground

• These seismic signals travelling through the ground will disturb the fibre
causing minute changes of strain at that location

• These changes in strain affect the backscatter signal at that point in the fibre

• These changes in the optical signal which can be detected and processed to
reconstitute the signal generated by the original activity.
Global Implementations of DTS and DAS
Systems
• UK LNG IMPORTATION PLANT PIPELINE LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM
(4.1km of pipeline runs from the offloading jetty to the re-gasification
plant and pipeline consists of a 36” diameter LNG importation
pipeline and a 14” diameter recirculation pipeline)
• 57km ETHYLENE GAS PIPELINE LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM
(Runs between two processing sites in Northern Germany and the pipe
route operates at a 100bar pressure capacity and passes near
residential areas )
• PIPELINE THIRD PARTY INTRUDER DETECTION SYSTEM USED BY
MAJOR PIPELINE OPERATOR IN EUROPE
Important advantages and economic benefits
• Ability to detect leaks within 10 seconds of leaks occurring, thereby
minimising environmental damage and product loss
• Ability to locate leaks to within 1-2 meters of the leak, saving
operators on excavation costs
• Digital fibre optic pipeline monitoring systems are non-intrusive and
can be installed even while the pipeline is operational
• These systems act as an early warning system for the operator in the
event of an unintentional damage or intrusion to pipeline
• Fibre optic pipeline monitoring systems can be installed using existing
telecommunications fibre, where fibre cable is already installed along
pipelines.
Summary of Other new methods :
Reference
• Recent Advances in Pipeline Monitoring and Oil Leakage Detection
Technologies: Principles and Approaches - Mutiu Adesina Adegboye ,
Wai-Keung Fung and Aditya Karnik

• Distributed fibre optic sensors for pipeline protection – Journal of

Natural gas science and engineering